Mine clearing device



Sept- 1961 L. R. LITTLETON 3,000,303

MINE CLEARING DEVICE Original Filed April 29. 1953 IN V EN TOR.

Lecllli cfas RLiPtlE- on Z Z-Malay 4ZJM 3,000,303 MINE CLEARING DEVICEir States Patent Leonidas R. Littleton, Emory, Va., assignor to theUnited States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyOriginal application Apr. 29, 1953, Set. NO. 352,066. Divided and thisapplication May 29, 1959, Ser. No.

1 Claim. (Cl. 102-22) (Granted under Title 35, Code (1952), sec. 266)The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me ofany royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to a detonating cable or line charge andis a division of my copending application Serial No. 352,066, filedApril 29, 1953.

Various methods and devices have been proposed for clearing mine fields,for cutting pathways through dense forests and underbrush. Among some ofthe mechanical devices used for these purposes may be numbered bombs,snakes, hose filled with liquid explosives, explosive sprays, projectedline charges etc.

So also in ground warfare it is frequently desirable to have available adevice that can quickly and easily be laid out in any desired pattern tofunction as an antipersonnel weapon. To this end it is necessary thatthe assembly be light, easily, and safely handled, and positive inaction so that a very flexible and versatile ordnance mechanism isproduced.

Detonating cables and line charges in present use generally include aplastic explosive charge which is first wrapped around a nylon rope,then encased in a pliable plastic envelope, and the whole then coveredwith a plurality of nylon sleeves. This device is then tied tightly atregular distances to simulate -a sausage shape, wherefore the explosiveis separated into short segments to make the cable flexible.

The aforementioned nylon sleeves are expensive and the method ofloading, assembling and tying the devices is laborious, tedious andconsequently excessively costly.

It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide adetonator cable in which the materials and elements are relatively cheapand readily available, and can easily be assembled to provide aninexpensive device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a flexible detonatorcable in which solid cylindrical blocks of preformed explosives arestrung along a flexible rope to produce an ordnance weapon which iseasily handled, easily shipped, stored and used, and inexpensive.

A further object is to provide a detonator cable for clearing minefields, underbrush, wooded areas, and for anti-personnel use, in whichthe separate explosive blocks are capable of assembly to produce aninexpensive line charge of greater flexibility to facilitate handlingand storing.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a noveldetonating cable, having the foregoing recited characteristics, whichwill be positive in action and of decreased risk in handling.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent froma consideration of the following specification, and of the drawingwherein the figure is a view in elevation of the device of the instantinvention wherein several of the explosive blocks are shown joinedtogether to form a flexible cable, one of the blocks being shown insection.

Referring more particularly to the drawing 1 design-ates a series ofrigid, cylindrical blocks of explosive, each preformed to have at leastone rounded end 2 to prevent fouling of the device and to decreaseresistance while being projected over land or water. The blocks arePatented Sept. 19, 1961 strung together in equally spaced relation byshort lengths of flexible rope or cable 3 of suitable material such asnylon, sisal, hemp or any other kind of rope, which may or may not bereinforced by metal as desired. Also connecting each of the blocks 1together is a length of Primacord 4 looped as at 5 between the. blocks.The loops 5 are provided in order to prevent breaking of the Primacordsupon misalignment of the blocks 1 .andare retained in loop form by thecoiled, reinforcing,.spring i e p U H 1.

Each explosive block has provided at opposite ends thereof preformedcentral cavities 7 and preformed radially displaced cavities 8. Pressfitted or otherwise secured with the cavities 7 are the threaded sleevesor sockets 9 while the cavities 8 are provided with press fitted sleevesor sockets 10, These sleeves are preferably made of plastic material.The rope sections 3 have rigidly secured to opposite ends thereof thethreaded sleeves or ferrules 11 which are received in the sleeves 9. Thelengths of Primacord are flared at their ends as shown at 12 androtatably carry the threaded ferrules 13.

It will be seen that with this mode of construction of the blocks 1,ropes 3 and Primacord 4, the parts may be boxed and shipped unassembledand assembled prior to use. In this manner the length of each linecharge may be limited to depend on its particular use. The line chargeis simply assembled by screwing the rope 3 with fitting 11 into oneblock and then screwing the next block on the rope until the desiredlength has been attained. The Primacord sections are then assembledbetween the blocks by screwing the rotatable ferrules 13 into thesleeves 10.

In making the explosive block forming a part of this invention, theexplosive may either be extruded or pressed with a binder, or moldedwith a thermosetting plastic, proper means also being included topreform the flexible rope and Primacord cavities, and the rounded blockend. Examples of the type of explosive utilized to form the blocks arethe Well known explosives commonly designated as RDX, PETN, orcompositions containing a proper mixture of both. Any suitable bindersuch as a resin or wax may be used, which will combine with theexplosive to form a rigid mass. Any suitable thermosetting plastic witha proper accelerator which does not react with the explosive may also beused to preform the block.

It can readily be seen, therefore, that the above description disclosesa flexible detonating cable or line charge, which is made of explosiveblocks that are rigid and may be stored, shipped, and handled with easeand facility, and without the need for the usually provided expensiveinner envelope and outer sleeves. The cable is flexible and can bequickly laid out in any desired length or pattern by a minimum ofpersonnel. It can be fired or set off by a trip wire, step onattachments, or by remote control by an operator. It can be buried, laidon the ground, hung in trees or on poles, along road sides, in minefields, planted on beaches, or hedgerows and in any pattern depending onits intended use, For antipersonnel work the Weapon may be made moreeffective by encircling each explosive block with fracturable metalrings.

Thus a simple, flexible, compact, reliable, inexpensive and easilyhandled detonating cable has been described. Other modifications andalterations to the structure disclosed will be apparent to one skilledin the art, and it is obvious that the same may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention defined in thefollowing claim.

I claim:

In a mine clearing device, the combination comprising a plurality ofaligned, equally spaced, preformed, cylindrical blocks of explosive,each of said blocks having a round end, means for flexibly connectingthe adjacent opposed ends of said blocks comprising a threaded socket ineach block end centrally thereof, a plurality of short flexible ropesections, each section having an externally threaded cap secured to eachadjacent opposed end, each of said ends being screw threadedly receivedin a corresponding socket in each respective block end, a plurality oflooped Primacord sections, means connecting the opposed ends of eachlooped section to adjacent ends of a preceding and succeeding explosiveblock comprising at least one threaded socket in each block endeccentrically of said rope receiving socket, said Primacord sectionshaving an externally threaded cap at each opposed end, each cappedPrimacord end being screw threadedly received in a correspondingeccentric socket in each respective block end, and a coiled wireencircling each said looped section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS231,348 Nobel Aug. 17, 1880 292,642 Freund Jan. 29, 1884 2,171,384 YoungAug. 29, 1939 2,377,151 Huber May 29, 1945 2,433,875 Walker et al. Jan.6, 1948 2,748,700 Breza et al. Jan. 5, 1956

